In Brief
The Supreme Court held that a High Court can quash criminal proceedings arising from non-compoundable offences (like those under Section 326 IPC) based on a settlement between the accused and victim, provided the offences are private in nature, not heinous, and the parties have voluntarily compromised. In Criminal Appeal 1489 of 2012, the Court invoked Article 142 to quash proceedings and acquit the appellants. In Criminal Appeal 1488 of 2012, the Court directed the parties to formally record their settlement before the lower court, with further relief conditional on that documentation. The Court clarified that heinous offences like murder and rape cannot be quashed, even with victim consent.
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